{"id":6506,"date":"2017-04-12T20:19:06","date_gmt":"2017-04-13T03:19:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allthethingsinbetween.net\/?p=6506"},"modified":"2017-10-18T22:42:42","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T22:42:42","slug":"weekend-pick-me-up-race-the-darkness-by-abbie-roads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2017\/04\/12\/weekend-pick-me-up-race-the-darkness-by-abbie-roads\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekend Pick Me Up: Race the Darkness by Abbie Roads"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"Race the Darkness<\/a> by Abbie Roads<\/a><\/strong>
\nMy rating: 4 of 5 stars<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Race the Darkness is something that I enjoyed more towards the middle-to-end than at the start.<\/p>\n

The REASON<\/b><\/span> for my delayed enjoyment IS<\/b><\/span> the hero XANDER STONE IS<\/b><\/span> quite the KNOB<\/b><\/span>. At least at first he is and I had a difficult time getting into him. As I read further I realized that Abbie Roads did that for character growth. (…and then I had to forgive her for putting me through his thorough knobiness.)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The victim of a lighting strike that left him disfigured, Xander grudgingly uses the sixth sense side effect of his incident to discover truths in the name of justice. Hearing the thoughts of others is painful for him but he is trying to put the curse to good use. It\u2019s an act of contrition for being a right knob–this is my interpretation and not the character\u2019s confession, because Xander is okay being knobby. Being a sorta good-doer is seriously the least he can do because he is cranky and disconnected from everyone he knows. And this guy has Daddy Issues that go on for miles. But really, no excuses will make me not want to smack him in the chops for being as he is.<\/p>\n

When he hears a voice calling out to him with urgency he has never experienced before, he arrives to save Isleen in the nick of time. He is at a loss as to how she survived as long as she has in captivity with her grandmother; tortured by the hand of a lunatic female driven by a thirst for causing others pain. He\u2019s not prepared for Isleen to whisper that she knew he\u2019d come; revealing that she has seen him in her visions for years.<\/p>\n

Isleen has known pain and little else in her life. She has a gift that makes her a target for prejudice, and she is unwittingly prey for those with demented thoughts. Much like Xander, she suffers the effects of her ability, until he finally comes for her. There is a connection between them and Xander soon finds he can\u2019t stand for her to be far from him. And Isleen\u2019s powers grow as Xander\u2019s presence strengthens her. (Insert character growth here–thank God and Abbie Roads–for good things.)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The Fatal Dreams series is a hotpot of psychic abilities, elemental energies, Native American magic, and a sense of true evil. AR plays with the philosophical struggle of good and evil–or rather good versus evil; it acknowledges there is a weakness in man and a flaw in the design of mankind. The idea that there might be a foundation that makes someone good, or a corruption that turns a person bad is seen throughout the story on a sliding scale of morality. The reasons for the actions of the characters is a gray area quickly lost to the black and white definitives of fact and fiction. Even in a perfect moment, Abbie Roads tells her readers, nothing is safe.<\/p>\n

This novel is full of crazy twists and turns. So many crossing storylines and WTH moments make this story solid gold. The writing is fantastic. The crafting superb. Each revealing is thrilling. The reason this book only has a four star rating is I really haven\u2019t had enough therapy for how annoyingly knobby Xander is at the start. He\u2019s all cardboard, non-personable, jadedness. First impressions matter. I might like him in the end but it\u2019s only because Isleen made me.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t wait to start the next novel in this series!<\/p>\n

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

Recommendations Based on This Read:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

For all my Goodreads reviews<\/a>.
\nFor all my Amazon reviews<\/a>\"\".<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Race the Darkness by Abbie Roads My rating: 4 of 5 stars Race the Darkness is something that I enjoyed more towards the middle-to-end than at the start. The REASON for my delayed enjoyment IS the hero XANDER STONE IS quite the KNOB. At least at first he is and I had a difficult time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[51,398,399,1362],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6158,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2016\/03\/22\/cover-lover-race-the-darkness-reveal\/","url_meta":{"origin":6506,"position":0},"title":"Cover Lover: Race the Darkness Reveal","date":"2016-03-22","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s precisely 7:22 pm ET, the sun has just set in the east, and it\u2019s starting to get dark... We are excited to reveal the cover of Race the Darkness, a dark, gritty, emotional and sexy romantic suspense novel by debut author Abbie Roads. Race the Darkness Synopsis: First in\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 3 comments","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/unnamed.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12526,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2021\/05\/11\/blog-tour-capturing-fate-by-abbie-roads\/","url_meta":{"origin":6506,"position":1},"title":"Blog Tour: Capturing Fate by Abbie Roads","date":"2021-05-11","format":false,"excerpt":"Blog Tour: Capturing Fate by Abbie Roads Title: Capturing Fate (Fatal Truth #1) Author: Abbie Roads Genre: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, Thriller Release Date: 28 January 2021","rel":"","context":"In "Adult Fiction"","img":{"alt_text":"Capturing Fate by Abbie Roads","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/CapturingFateTourBanner.png?fit=851%2C315&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4828,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2015\/01\/31\/weekend-pick-me-up-darkness-by-laurann-dohner\/","url_meta":{"origin":6506,"position":2},"title":"Weekend Pick Me Up: Darkness by Laurann Dohner","date":"2015-01-31","format":false,"excerpt":"What is sexier than sex on a stick? Sex on a stick that purrs and has momentously hugelicious control issues; in walks a manimal named Darkness and suddenly I need a shower, chocolate, intravenous injection of dilaudid and my mom talking in my ear to distract me until the hot\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Darkness4star.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8750,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2020\/01\/08\/new-release-stranded-at-night-by-rebekah-dodson\/","url_meta":{"origin":6506,"position":3},"title":"New Release: Stranded at Night by Rebekah Dodson","date":"2020-01-08","format":false,"excerpt":"click to purchase Title: Stranded at Night (California Express #1)Author: Rebekah DodsonGenre: Adult,\u00a0Romance,\u00a0SuspenseRelease Date: January 04, 2020 Two days after Christmas, two in the afternoon, two passengers must face the storm to prevail against the darkness. Maggie Espinoza needs to get away from Portland, Oregon, from a blown out past\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book Blitz"","img":{"alt_text":"Stranded at Night by Rebekah Dodson","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/1StrandedAtNightBlitzBanner.png?fit=851%2C315&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1079,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2014\/01\/01\/book-it-new-years-special-just-for-you-amazon-kindle-books-for-only-99%c2%a2\/","url_meta":{"origin":6506,"position":4},"title":"Book It - New Years Special Just For You - Amazon Kindle Books For Only 99\u00a2!","date":"2014-01-01","format":false,"excerpt":"A little New Years gift for you! Here is a 99\u00a2\u00a0Kindle book a day\u00a0from Amazon for the month of January little special treat. Some are specials for a short time only so be sure to take advantage of great buys as soon as you can! 1. 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